Saturday, April 17, 2010

Erotic Action/Adventure…It’s Not All in the Bedroom with Guest Author Lilly Cain

Please welcome our guest author for the day, Lilly Cain.



Thank you Roxanne for having me here at Fang-tastic Books!
Along the lines of your favorite genre, my debut book, Dark Harmony, is a vampire story. A dark, erotic, action-adventure, vampire love story. Published by Red Sage, Dark Harmony is a full length novel, and that gives me the time to bring in action that isn’t just in the bedroom, although if you read Red Sage, you know there’s plenty of that!

Many people believe that erotic stories mean a work that is overloaded with sex scenes and not much else. That really isn’t the case. To me erotic romance can be defined as a book in which the plot is driven at least in part by the sexual arc of the story. But that isn’t all it is. Emotion drives the romance and external plot elements also drive the book, or at least they drive mine.

Here’s an excerpt from Dark Harmony, in which my heroine Lena faces her maker and ex-master:

Lena could sense Evan’s emotions shifting deeper into anger. She caught the flicker of his eyes as he glanced slightly to his right. This tiny movement freed her from the sexual thrall. She gasped and jerked backward, flicking her sai back into her hand. My God! She’d nearly given herself back to the pack. Wherever Evan walked, Darien would surely be skulking nearby. For a desperate moment she feared being outnumbered. Here among thousands of potential victims, the prey were unlimited, but it was the hunters whose numbers terrified her.



She moved, two quick sideways steps to the right, away from whomever Evan had glanced toward. She flicked one sai out to point at Evan and left the other to guard herself. Her best bet would be to put Evan between her and the second opponent. She scanned the crowd. Amidst the constant movement of the audience she caught the stalking advance of a killer, Darien. Her worst fear confirmed, she shuddered at the smile on Darien’s lips. Having caught her eye he stayed where he was, one arm looped over the shoulders of a young female fan.

The girl, no more than twenty, pressed her body against the vampire. Her eyes followed the motions of the band on stage, her lips mouthed the words to the song even as she ground her hips against a killer. Darien fisted his hand in her long straight hair, lifting her chin and exposing her neck. The girl gripped him harder, elation filling her face. Lena could taste it from where she stood, a stream of sweet excitement, lust, and joy. She was so young, so pure, so delicious. Lena took an involuntary step forward. Evan, slightly to her right, grinned like the cocky bastard he was and moved to intercept her, offering his hand to her.
“Come on Helena. Join us for a…bite.” Darien’s mocking whisper reached her easily, despite the pounding music and screaming fans.

“No.”

Because I study Kobujutsu, the art of ancient Japanese weaponry, I enjoy having my heroine kick butt with it! She can stand on her own, but she wants more than being alone. She hungers for a family, a pack. So she goes looking for it. Unfortunately her old pack want her back, whether she wants to return or not. This sets the story up for flight, and fight. Lots of adrenaline!

Another snippet:

She strode from the room. The house was too tight for her usual kata practice so she moved to the door, glancing out the window as she moved and extending her senses as far as she dared.

No vampires.

She slipped out the door, leaving behind her kitbag and purse. Nothing must hinder her now. As she stepped out she moved into a walking stretch, checking with slow movements that her muscles were loose, and all the weapons strapped in properly. She rotated her hips with each step, grinding in a parody of last night’s lovemaking. As she swayed her arms and upper body with the stretch she could imagine what she would look like in the early darkness. It might look sexual to some, but with the blackened steel she wore she was more like death dancing in the shadows.

Stretch completed she picked up her pace and moved through the woods, allowing the thinner branches to slap at her, stinging her lightly. They would hold her scent, draw the hunting vampires to her, if she wasn’t headed directly toward them. There was really only one place to go, the abandoned building where she had already set her trap. If it hadn’t been sprung, or simply destroyed by Darien or Evan, it might help her now.

In minutes she reached the fence, and found where she had entered before. She knew very well that Evan might find it odd that she would leave such an obvious trail, but she also knew Darien. By now he would be rising, and he would be far beyond furious. He would be the one following her trail, not Evan. Evan would barely keep up with Darien in this state. She vaulted the fence, still feeling the power from the concert. She’d need it now.

This is erotic action adventure – the sex is still there, still smokin’ hot, but the vampire is true to her powers and strength as well. Ready to fight.

I’ve recently been informed that Dark Harmony is going to be Red Sage’s first digital to print novel. I haven’t received the release date, but you can imagine how excited I am!

As a celebration I am offering a free e-book version of Dark Harmony to a commenter – all you have to do is pick the name you like best for Dark Harmony’s sequel.


If you think of a better choice thought I’d love to hear it!

~Lilly

For more information on Lilly and her writing, check out her website at http://www.lillycain.com/.


or download a kindle version at

25 comments:

Sherry said...

I voted on your journal. I voted for Dark Medly and suggested Dark Beat.

sstrode@scrtc.com

Lilly Cain said...

Thanks Sherry! I like Dark Medly too, and Dark Beat sounds interesting! Thanks!

Lilly

Estella said...

I like Dark Measure.

Lilly Cain said...

Thanks Estella! I like that one too - see this is why it is so difficult. :)

Thanks for dropping by!
Lilly

Fedora said...

Lilly, just wanted to say congrats on Dark Harmony--how exciting, too, that it'll be going to print!! Wow!

As for titles, I liked Dark Medley, too--don't enter me though :) I'm thrilled to already have Dark Harmony!

Best wishes!

Lilly Cain said...

Hi flchn1! So glad you dropped in! Hope you like your copy! I am very excited that the book is going to print and so touched that Red Sage believes in me enough to make me their first digital-to-print!

On other action adventure fronts, I just posted my new cover all over my twitter site and facebook page - this is for a sci-fi erotic romance series from Carina Press entitled The Confederacy Treaty: Alien Revealed.

Lilly

Leigh M. Lane said...

I voted. Dark Medly really resonates well, I think, although there are a few really good suggestions. Good thing this is going to be a series!

Lilly Cain said...

Hi Lisa!

I had originally chosen Dark Melody but it is the same as Christine Feehan's last book, which was also about a vampire romance if I understand correctly. Too similar. So I had to start again. I do like Dark Medly. And it is actually better than Dark Melody when you think of the blend of the three lovers.

Lilly

Roxanne Rhoads said...

Just dropping in to say hi

Out of the ones you have listed I like Darl Medly

Tossing in my two cents I also suggest these which all fall in with the music theme :

Dark Note

Dark Arrangement

Dark Cadence

Dark Overture

Dark Rhapsody

Unknown said...

OOhh Read your excpert and loved it,, and going to print even better,, I like Dark Medly my suggestion
Dark Enthrallemnt - I found the expcert very captivating and now want more,, when it goes to print Ill def buy.. and a series even better .. Congrads

kittee_cat@bigpond.com

Katrina :)

Unknown said...

Dark Enthrallment : sorry I spelt it wrong in the last post.. :)

Katrina

Anonymous said...

Great interview and I'm going to check these out. I just love this blog. I dropped off a few suggestions of my own too but my fave of the ones mentioned is Medly but isn't it spelled Medley?

Sherry said...

I can by earlier and voted and suggested a name and I came up with a few more I hope that's okay.
Dark Blues
Dark Lyrics
Dark Muses
Dark Lullabies
This has been fun.

sstrode@scrtc.com

Beth said...

Dark Medly would definitely fit with the description of the book but, at first glance, I almost saw it as Dark Melody and Christine Feehan has a book called Dark Melody. I wouldn't want to get them confused, so I'll vote for Dark Rhythm. After all there would have to be a rhythm to their interactions, both physical and emotional, I would think.
And how about
Dark Note(s)
Dark Score
Dark Key(s)
Dark Scale
Dark Waltz

Lilly Cain said...

Hi Roxanne! Love some of your ideas! Good thing this is a series! LOL. I am going to my editor next week with a list so thanks so much for the suggestions.

Hi Katrina! Thank you! This is my first full length series, but I am also starting a new series of novellas with Red Sage about a desert world full of dragon shape shifters embroiled in a civil war. Revisions for the first novel will be coming up next month I beleive! And, just to keep me busy I've started a series of novellas with Carina Press when they launch in June - sci-fi erotic romance!

Lilly

Lilly Cain said...

Hi Yesinia,

I actually have seen both medly and medley. So I'll look into it further. Thank you for pointing that out. ANd thanks for stopping by!

Hi again Sherry! Thanks for more suggestions, as I mentioned earlier I am going to the editor with a list - that's always best. :) Now I will have some great suggestions.

Lilly

Lilly Cain said...

Hi Beth - this is exactly why I had to change the name. The premiss behind the books were a bit too similar to use the same name so soon. Names are repeated all the time - there is no copyright on a book name but this was too confusing.

Thanks for your ideas!
Lilly

Suzanne Rock said...

Hi Lilly!

I like Dark Melody, too. I don't think it matters if it is close to Christine's book. FWIW, I had a long discussion with my editor about your book, lol. My new series at Red Sage is a "dark" series, too. I was offering to change it because of your series, but was told that our series were different enough and released far enough apart that it won't make a difference. So, my first book in my new red sage series will be called "Dark Deception." I already have titles lined up for the next two, and they have nothing to do with music.

But, if you don't like Dark Melody, how about... Dark Crescendo? It sounds exotic and can mean that the entire series plot is escalating in tension, suspense, etc.

Hope that helps!

Unknown said...

Hi Lilly, terrific excerpt.

I can't decide which title I like the best - they all sound good. Good luck with the decision

Lilly Cain said...

Hi Suzanne! Oooh a Dark book! Sigh I will never catch up on my to be read list. :) I love dark erotic romance. Congratulations! Who is you editor btw?

Hi Anne! Thanks for dropping by! It is a very hard decision isn't it?

Lilly

Unknown said...

I agree with you when you say that erotica doesn't necessarily have to be driven by sex, but by emotion as well. You have plenty of great sex scenes in Dark Harmony, but the emotion is what drew me in. All the scenes can be imagined very vividly.
I'm very happy for you that Dark Harmony is going to print...and I'm sorry I didn't comment yesterday. I was having some computer issues.

Bev Pettersen said...

Thanks for sharing the excerpts, Lilly. Little wonder it's going to print! WOW!!

Suzanne Rock said...

Hi Lilly! Alicia is my editor. I think you aid yours was Theresa, right? ;) Both seem very nice.

Congrats again on Dark Harmony going to print!

The Scarf Princess said...

Of the choices....I like Dark Rhythm best.

I'd like to put these choices out there too....
-Dark Overture--like Roxanne mentioned
-Dark Vocalizations
-Dark Orchestrations

joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

Kelly said...

Wow, I really liked those excerpts! And you're absolutely right - not a sex scene in sight, but still sexy. While I love erotic books I haven't gotten on the paranormal bandwagon just yet, but you may have just got me to come aboard.

 
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